Asylum seeker who duped judge jailed

AN ASYLUM seeker who used fake documents to apply for a student visa - then successfully appealed the refusal at a tribunal - has been condemned as a “persistent and die-hard liar”.

Pakistani national Abrar Khan, aged 28, of Lauder Street, Page Hall, Sheffield, was jailed for a year after duping an immigration tribunal judge into overturning a Home Office ruling rejecting his application.

He claimed he was a student at a college he had never attended, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

Jailing him for 12 months, Judge Trevor Barber told Khan: “Your application was wholly bogus. It involved forged letters and a forged diploma from a college.

“There have been a whole host of people trying to find out what your status is. You’ve put people to huge expense and a whole amount of trouble. The truth is you have no right to be in this country.

“You have been a persistent and die-hard liar.”

Louise Gallagher, prosecuting, said Khan came to the UK in September 2007 on a student visa valid until November 2008.

As the expiry date approached, he applied for a two-year visa granted to highly skilled students. She said he submitted two forged letters claiming to be from the British Institute of Technology and E-Commerce - including a post-graduate diploma in business administration.

Miss Gallagher said: “The Home Office refused his application but he was entitled to appeal and an immigration judge in Bradford found in his favour. He submitted a three-page document detailing how challenging and interesting he had found the course and how very well he did.

“He lied to the tribunal and the Home Office failed to provide any evidence that was contrary to his assertions.

“It’s now conceded the application was bogus and the documents with it were bogus.”

Khan was arrested in October following a joint immigration and police investigation.

In his police interview Khan maintained he had been to the college, even describing the diploma presentation ceremony.

The court heard that Khan had paid £1,500 for the forged documents.

He pleaded guilty to seeking to obtain leave to remain in the UK by deceptive means.